Imagine you're a sales manager who just received a message from the head of sales after a productive morning. The message says, "We need to update our lead rotation strategy to be based on postal codes instead of regions. Can you get it done by the end of the day?" Without programmable automation, this request might take hours or even days, requiring you to create hundreds of branches in a standard workflow. But with HubSpot's programmable automation, you can handle this complex task efficiently and accurately in much less time.
HubSpot Programmable Automation, a feature of Operations Hub Professional and Enterprise, offers powerful customization for your workflows, allowing you to solve unique challenges that standard HubSpot workflows cannot address. This article is for businesses already familiar with HubSpot’s basic automation features and explores how programmable automation can transform your processes, illustrated with detailed examples and best practices.
Why Programmable Automation?
Growing companies face increasing complexity, which can slow down momentum. As you scale, integrating new processes with existing systems while keeping your data secure becomes critical. HubSpot's programmable automation helps by offering a unified toolset that automates complex business processes and keeps your data safe.
Real-World Scenario: Lead Rotation
Let's revisit our scenario: You need to update your lead rotation strategy based on postal codes. Standard workflows would require creating numerous branches for each postal code, making the task tedious and prone to errors. With programmable automation, you can write a custom code action to handle postal codes dynamically, saving time and reducing human error. This feature lets your automation adapt to your business needs, providing flexibility and efficiency.
Practical Applications of Programmable Automation
Example 1: Validating Email Addresses
Keeping a clean contact database is vital for effective communication. Ensuring email addresses are valid can be a challenge. With programmable automation, you can integrate a service like Email Hippo to automatically validate email addresses, reducing bounce rates and improving email campaign performance.
Example 2: Creating Tasks with Relative Due Dates
For sales and customer service teams, timely follow-ups are essential. Programmable automation allows you to create tasks with dynamic due dates based on specific triggers, such as scheduling a follow-up call three days after a lead form submission. This ensures important tasks are not missed, enhancing customer engagement.
Example 3: Calculating Contract End Dates
Managing contract end dates is crucial for renewals and continuous service. Programmable automation can automatically calculate contract end dates based on the start date and contract length, triggering renewal reminders or creating new deals to maintain customer relationships.
Example 4: Enriching Your Data
Data enrichment can provide valuable insights for targeting and segmentation. For instance, you can use programmable automation to geolocate company domain names, adding geographic information to your records. This helps tailor your marketing efforts and better understand your audience.
Example 5: Triggering Webhooks
Keeping data in sync across multiple systems is critical. Webhooks in HubSpot's programmable automation notify you automatically when tracked data is updated, ensuring near real-time synchronization without the need for continuous API requests.
Example 6: Custom-Coded Bot Actions
Enhance your chatbot interactions by integrating custom code snippets. For example, a customer service bot can provide order updates by querying custom objects for order information, saving support time and improving the customer experience.
Getting Started with Custom Code Actions
Creating custom code workflow actions in HubSpot is straightforward. Here’s how to get started:
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Navigate to Workflows: In your HubSpot account, go to the Automation dropdown menu and select Workflows.
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Create a Workflow: Select Create workflow, then From Scratch, and click Blank Workflow. Set up your enrollment triggers to determine which records to enroll.
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Add a Custom Code Action: Click the + icon to add an action. In the Choose an action panel, under Workflow, select Custom Code. Choose between JavaScript or Python, and set up your custom code action using libraries for API calls, SQL queries, text formatting, and more.
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Include Properties: Use existing properties or formatted data quality automation properties in your custom code. You can add up to 50 properties, each with a unique Variable ID.
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Define Data Outputs: Specify the data type and name for your outputs. Add multiple outputs if needed.
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Save and Use: Once you’ve customized your code action, click Save to include it in your workflow.
Benefits and Drawbacks
Benefits
- Flexibility: Customize workflows to fit unique business needs.
- Efficiency: Automate complex tasks quickly and accurately.
- Data Security: Keep data within HubSpot, reducing third-party risks.
- Scalability: Handle increasing complexity as your business grows.
Drawbacks
- Technical Expertise Required: Writing custom code actions requires knowledge of JavaScript or Python.
- Potential for Errors: Incorrect code can disrupt workflows, so thorough testing is essential.
Best Practices
Test Custom Code Actions
Before deploying custom code actions, test them thoroughly in a staging environment. This ensures they work as expected and minimizes disruptions to live workflows.
Troubleshoot Errors
If you encounter issues, use HubSpot's resources and community forums for troubleshooting. Keeping detailed logs can help identify and resolve problems quickly.
Secure Your Data
Manage your API keys and other secrets securely within HubSpot. This prevents unauthorized access and ensures data integrity.
Unlock the Full Potential of HubSpot with Automatec Data Systems
Are you ready to transform your workflow management and harness the power of HubSpot’s programmable automation? At Automatec Data Systems, we specialise in helping businesses like yours streamline processes and maximise efficiency. Our team of experts is here to guide you through the intricacies of custom code actions and programmable automation, ensuring your operations run smoothly and effectively.
Why Choose Automatec Data Systems?
- Expert Guidance: Our experienced professionals provide tailored solutions to meet your unique business needs.
- Efficient Implementation: We ensure quick and accurate automation of complex tasks, saving you valuable time.
- Continuous Support: From troubleshooting to optimisation, we offer ongoing assistance to keep your workflows in top shape.
Don't let technical challenges slow down your progress. Reach out to Automatec Data Systems today and discover how we can elevate your business automation with HubSpot.
Contact Us Today!
Ready to get started? Contact us now to schedule a consultation and see how programmable automation can revolutionise your business processes.